Torpedo guard-net.



2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Dee. 4,1911? L. JOHNSON.

TORPEDO GUARD NET.

APPLICATION FILED mu 6. I911.

L. JOHNSON.

TORPEDO GUARD NET. APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, mi.

Patsnted Dec. 4, 191?.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IaIiOYD JOHNSON, OF UHRIC HSVILLE, OHIO.

ronrnno GUARD-NET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. a, 1911?.

Application filed m 6, 1917. Serial No. 178,982.

' specificatio This invention relatesto apparatus adapted to be associated with boats of various kinds to protect their hulls from torpedoes,

- and has for one of its objects to provide an apparatus including floats or buoys connected to the boat and movable therewith through the water, the floats or buoys sup-' porting a guard net which will intercept torpedoes, or like missiles and either prevent them from reaching the hull of the vessel or explode them upon contact with the net and a suflicient distance from the vessel to prevent the concussion from being communicated thereto.

Another object of the invention is to pro:

vide an apparatus of this character having guiding or steering attachments whereby the apparatus is maintained at a'uniform distance from the hull of the vessel.

Another object of the invention is to provide adevice of this character which may be elevated for storage upon the deck of the vessel when not in use, and which may be quickl located in posltion when required.

Wit these and other. objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out i in the claims; and in. the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment ,of the invention-- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the hull of a vessel with the improved guard device in position relative thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

F ig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of one of a the float devices;

Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of the parts I 1 shown in Fig. 3;

' Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line lirmt the number of the float devlces em- 5-5 of Fig. 3.

' Corresponding and. likeparts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The'improved device comprises primarily a guard net of sufiiclent strength to resist or check the impact of torpedoes and suspended at a sufficient distance from the sides of the vessel to intercept torpedoes and like missiles to prevent them from reaching the hull of a vessel, or causing the torpedoes to explode at a sufiicient distance from the hull of the vessel to prevent damage thereto.

5 The not will be constructed of any suitable material, but will preferably be of steel formed into interlocking links of any desired form and represented conventionally at 10. At its upper edge the net will be coupled to a suitable cable, preferably of steel wire and indicated at 11. The net is maintained position by a plurality of floats or buoys, and the construction of these buoys or floats is the principal feature of the present invention. The floats or buoys may be of any suitable size and of any suitable material, but will preferably be of relatively light sheet metal cylindrical in transverse section as shown at 12, with pointed or cigar shapedflends 13. The buoys will be arranged in pairs as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 and connected intermediate their ends by a transverse device represented at 14. At

their forward ends each (pair of the floats is connected by a forwar ly pointed or V- shaped member 15 with the center of the member preferably at one side of the medial line between the floats. Each pair of the goats is likewise coupled at their rear ends 0 iquely to the longitudinal axis of the floats as shown in Fi ber 16 is connected irectly to the rear end of one of the floats 12 by a bracket device 17, and connected to the other float by a suitable bracket device 18, the latter being longer than the bracket=17 to support the member 16 in its requisite oblique position The members 15-46 are in the form of relatively wide plates so that they offer a considerable resistance to the water through which-the float device is moved.

As many of the pairs of the float devices as required may be employed, depending upon the length of the vessel with'which they are associated, and it is not desired to ployed. For the purpose of illustration two of the floats are shown at each side of the vessel, indicated conventionally at 19, and one of the float devices at the rear as shown in Fig. -1. The float devices which are associated with the sides of the vessel are alike g a member 16, the latter being arranged 1 and 3. The memexcept that the obliquely directed. attachtoward the stern of the vessel, the object tobe hereafter explained.

The floats of the device which is located astern of the vessel are coupled at their forward ends by a V-shaped member 20 having its central point in alinement with the medial line between the floats, while the rear or stern portions of the floats are coupled by a .similar V-shaped portion 21 likewise with its apex in alinement with a medial line between the floats.

Extending forwardly of the vessel 19 is a boom device 22 rigidly secured to the bow of the vessel and extending in advance of the same. the forward float device is an eye 23, while a similar eye 24=is located at the forward end of the boom 22. Pull cables 25 are connected respectively to the eyes 23 and 24 as shown in Fig. 1. Eyes 26-27 are connected;

to the buoy devices from which pull cables 28-29 lead to a winding drum indicated at 30 upon the deck of the vessel. The cables or permitted to recede from the side of the vessel or at any suitable distance from its stern. By arranging the members 1516 obliquely to the line of movement of the vessel and holding the float devices coupled to the vessel by the several pull cables, it will be obvious that the longer sides of the members 15 and the members 16 act as sheer blades to hold the float-devices in parallel relation to the sides of the vessel, and by shortening or lengthening the pull cables the position of the floa vices relative to the vessel may be readily controlled.

The net members 10 are suspended at one end from the member 1511s indicated at 33 and to each of the transverse members 1a of the various float devices as'indicated at 34.

The net devices are thus maintained in par- .guard the hull of the vessel and prevent torpedoes and like missilesfrom reaching the ciently close to prevent the passage of torhull. J

The links constituting the net are sufli pedoes and like missiles, and will be as lar e as possible to reduce the resistancewhen t e net is. drawn through the water.

Attached to the members 15 of vessel.

.suflicient distance from the hull to prevent damage thereto.

When not required, or when the vessel has passed beyond the danger-zone,the winding devices 30 will be actuated'to draw the float devices close to the sides of the vessel upon whose decks the float devices together with the net can be hoisted by suitable windlas'ses or cranes. Then if the vessel again enters the danger-zone the float devices and net can be' quickly disposed in position for'defense; Extra nets will be carried to replace those lost or destroyed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An apparatus 'of the class described comprising a boom device adapted to be rigidly connected to a vessel and extending in advance of the same, 'a series of floats arranged in pairs, means forconnecting said floats in spaced relation, a net device, means for suspending said net device from they float connecting means andmedially of the floats, flexible means connected relatively to said floats and to said boom, and flexible means connected respectively to said floatsand to said vessels.

2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a series of floats arranged inpairs, means for connecting said floats in spaced relation, a net device, means-for suspending said net device from the float connecting means, sheering members carried by said connected floats and directed obliquely to the longitudinal axes of the floats, and. flexible means connected relatively to said floats and adapted to be 0on nected to a vessel. j

3. apparatus of the class described comprising a series of floats arranged in pairs and each pair connected in spaced relation, said pairs of connected floats adapted to be arranged at opposite sidesof a vessel, sheering members carried by said connected floats and directed obliquely to the longitudinal axes of the floats, the sheering members bein' reversely arranged at opposite sides of t e vessel, a net device, means for suspending said net devices medially of the floats, and pull cables connected to said floats and adapted to .be connected to'said 4. In an apparatus of the class described,

a plurality of supporting devices each com-' prising floats connected together in spaced relation and with sheering members directed 1 I be arranged at opposite sides of and astern of the vessel, a net device suspended from said float devices medially thereof, and'pull cables connected to said floats and adapted to be connected to said vessel.

5. An apparatus of the class described vcomprising a boom deviceadapted to be rigidly connected to a vessel and extending in advance of the'same, a series of floats 10 arranged in pairs, means for connecting said floats in spaced relation, a netdevice, m'eansfi float connecting means and medially of the floats, flexible means connected relatively to said floats and to said boom, flexible means connected respectively to said floats and to said vessel, and sheering members carried by said connected floats and directed obliquely to the longitudinal axes of the floats.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LLOYD JOHNSON. [L.s.] 

